29th Sunday in
Ordinary Time
Cycle A
Saint Margaret Parish, Bel Air
October 18-19, 2014 9:00,
10:30 am and 12:00 pm Masses
Not Either
/Or
The way
Jesus responds – not so much what he
says, but the way Jesus responds in
today’s gospel is very significant.
Jesus gives a both/and,
not an either/or response. Here is what I mean.
Two groups of people really dislike Jesus. They want to undermine his popularity and
maybe even get rid of him completely.
So they pick the very explosive issue of taxes. The Roman Empire is occupying their country
and assessing a head tax on every person.
The Jewish people hate this. They find it highly offensive.
So Jesus’ opponents ask him: “Should we pay the tax or not?
Are you for it or against it?”
They figure: if Jesus favors paying the tax, the
Jewish people will dislike him and his popularity will evaporate. But if he opposes paying the tax, he will get
into big trouble with the Roman authorities.
So what does Jesus say? He first asks them if they have some money
and, sure enough, one of them pulls out a coin.
It is the money of the Roman Empire with Caesar’s
image on it. So, without saying a word,
Jesus exposes them as already participating in the system of the Roman Empire.
Jesus responds: “Then
give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Jesus converts their either/or dilemma – either you are for the tax or against it – into
a both/and resolution – give to both Caesar
and God.
But Both/And
The
way Jesus handles this dilemma is a
good lesson for us.
Sometimes
we want to approach everything in an either/or
way. It’s either black or white.
You’re
either right or wrong. The problem is
that some things in life – like the one Jesus is dealing with here – just don’t
come down to an either/or answer.
In
fact, often enough in life a both/and
answer is better. It gets us closer to
the truth of the reality we are dealing with.
Examples
For
example, we used to take this either/or
approach: Either you’re Catholic and you’ll be saved. Or you’re not Catholic and you will not be
saved.
Instead
of that, there is the both/and
approach: We believe that our Church has faithfully passed down through the
centuries the fullness of God’s revelation in Jesus. And we also believe that all others in different
Christian or non-Christian traditions and all people of good will in different
ways have the love of God and can be in God’s eternal presence.
Another
very different kind of example: Either
you support my decision with the kids and back me up. Or you
just take charge of the kids and I’ll have nothing to do with it.
Instead
of that, the both/and approach: We
have different perspectives on what to expect of the kids and how to discipline
them. Let’s talk through things privately
and work for a common position that fits each situation.
One
final example: Either you accept
everything the Church says and are a good Catholic. Or
you are picking and choosing and not really a good Catholic or even a Catholic
at all.
Instead
of that, a both/and approach: You
recite the Profession of Faith and believe in all the core tenets of our
faith. And, in good conscience, you also
do not accept something or live in a certain way that the Church teaches and
you remain a good practicing Catholic.
Conclusion
So, Jesus’ example today moves us away from an either/or approach to a both/and approach in dealing with
certain life situations.
Obviously, there are many things that are just right or wrong,
true or false. But there are also many
things in life where a both/and
approach is better.
An either/or approach
often ends conversation, it shuts out others, it causes a breakdown in
relationship, and it divides us. A both/and approach allows conversation to
continue, it includes others, it builds relationship and it unites us.
That is the basic thrust of Jesus’ entire ministry. His example today lifts this up for us.
